Twitter continues to push its TV and media credentials after it revealed plans to expand its TV ratings service into Germany, Austria and the Netherlands this year. The move, its first launch in Europe, is in partnership with research company GfK.

Twitter TV ratings were introduced in the US in 2012 — in collaboration with Nielsen — and, like the original incarnation, the European flavor of the service will provide details, metrics and analysis of the volume and influence of tweets relating to TV programs and campaigns. Twitter calls it an “essential” resource for broadcasters, but data will also be provided to media agencies and advertisers to assist them with campaigns.

The companies say the service will roll out to the three European countries “later” this year. It is also scheduled to come to Japan in 2014, and there are almost certainly other expansions in the pipeline.